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The most popular version of the song was recorded by Dean Martin. It reached No. 1 on the Billboard chart for six weeks in 1956, and became his biggest hit. It was also his only UK number one hit, topping the UK Singles Chart on 17 February 1956, and remaining at the top for four weeks.[2] He was backed by The Easy Riders (who consisted of Gilkyson, Dehr, and Miller), who wrote it. On the B-side of the 45 and 78 recordings was "Change of Heart" written by John Rox. The record had been hard to find until it appeared on the 8-CD box set Memories are Made of This from Bear Family Music.

The secondary hit version at the time was by Gale Storm, a US Billboard No. 5 hit. A third charted version was by Mindy Carson, at No. 53. Terry Gilkyson and the Easy Riders recorded it for an album.

After the 1956 Hungarian Revolution, the song was adapted into the "Honvágy-dal" ('The Song of Homesickness') and used as an unofficial anthem for refugees scattered around the world. Recorded by Ida Boros, it became a cultural phenomenon and a sign of protest against the communist government.

The song charted once more in 1966 by the Drifters, a No. 48, hit for them. It was recorded by Anne Murray for her Croonin' album in 1993, but it was only released as a bonus track on the special Croonin' album put out by Heartland Records.

In Germany, titled "Heimweh" ("Homesickness") and performed by Freddy Quinn and with lyrics by Ernst Bader and Dieter Rasch, the song was 14 weeks at number one, the most successful song of 1956.[3] Worldwide it sold more than eight million, thus exceeding sales of the Dean Martin version.[4]

In 1994 the song featured in TV advert for Bisto gravy powder. It has also been featured in many other adverts down through the years.